Femen, Feminism, And Islamophobia

Did you miss it? Femen’s International Topless Jihad Day to rally around a Tunisian woman, Amina, who posted a topless picture on the internet, words painted on her chest declaring she was not anyone else’s honor and her body was her own. Her actions caused all sorts of reaction and response: is this really a feminist act? is it debauchery and un-Islamic? is Femen Islamophobic? is Femen racist and imperialist? etc.

“Everyone’s honor is their own,” is a message that can be delivered without shocking. Isn’t this preferable? Or is the preference for less shock simply the result of an Arab preoccupation with “respectability”?

I am not your honor… / Everyone has their own honor.

One analyst of Ukrainian-based group Femen said, “Ultimately, a message is only effective if it is clearly conveyed.” A related concept is that effectiveness is measured by persuasiveness. Was Amina’s protest persuasive? It got a lot of attention. Did it convince anyone who did not already see it their way — especially in Tunisia and other Muslim-majority nations? (If not, should she not have done it?)

Amina Tyler deserves the freedom to choose what to wear or not to wear. Her honor is her own and not determined by what she wears, nor is it anyone else’s business. Yet the delight this action has generated alerts us that not everyone out there is a friend to women, or particularly a friend to North African Arab or Amazigh women, to women living in Muslim-majority countries. They may claim to be feminists acting in solidarity, but this claim will be treated with some skepticism, and perhaps with good reason.